Diskitis is swelling (inflammation) and irritation of the space between the bones of the spine (intervertebral disk space).
Disk inflammation
Diskitis is an uncommon condition. It is usually seen in children younger than 10 years and in adults around 50 years of age. Men are more affected than women.
Diskitis can be caused by an infection from bacteria or a virus. It can also be caused by inflammation, such as from autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which the immune system mistakenly attacks certain cells in the body.
Disks in the neck and low back are most commonly affected.
Symptoms may include any of the following:
The goal is to treat the cause of the inflammation or infection and reduce pain. Treatment may involve any of the following:
Children with an infection should fully recover after treatment. In rare cases, chronic back pain persists.
In cases of autoimmune disease, the outcome depends on the underlying condition. These are often chronic illnesses that need long-term medical care.
Complications may include:
Call your provider if your child has back pain that does not go away, or problems with standing and walking that seem unusual for the child's age.
Camillo FX. Infections and tumors of the spine. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, Canale ST, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 13th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2017:chap 42.
Hong DK, Gutierrez K. Diskitis. In: Long S, Prober CG, Fischer M, eds. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 78.